Tituss Burgess, Andrea Martin, Lea Salonga, and More to Take the Stage at BROADWAY BACKWARDS

Legendary Tony Award winners, a three-time Emmy Award nominee, an Oscar winner and an iconic Disney princess are among the stage and screen stars coming together for Broadway Backwards, the theatre community's annual gender-bending celebration of love and the LGBT community.

The unforgettable evening, which is nearly sold out, will include performances by three-time Emmy nominee Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Tony winner Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd, TV's Blue Bloods), Julie Halston (You Can't Take It With You), Shawna Hamic (The Last Ship), Jay Armstrong Johnson (On the Town, TV's Quantico), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies), two-time Tony winner Andrea Martin (Pippin, TV's Great News), Academy Award winner Hayley Mills (Party Face, Pollyanna), Alex Newell (Once on This Island, TV's Glee), Tony winner Lea Salonga (Once on This Island and voices of Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan), Q. Smith (Come From Away), Elizabeth Stanley (On the Town), Astrid Van Wieren (Come From Away), Sharon Wheatley (Come From Away), Christian Dante White (Hello, Dolly!) and Tony nominee Tony Yazbeck (Prince of Broadway).

Broadway Backwards (#BroadwayBackwards) will be performed at 8 pm on Monday, April 2, 2018, at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, NYC), currently home to the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Kinky Boots. The evening is produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and benefits Broadway Cares and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City.

Only a limited number of tickets are still available; remaining tickets start at $285. Get tickets at broadwaycares.org or by calling 212.840.0770, ext. 229.

Best availability is through special VIP tickets, which include premium orchestra seats and a special post-show cocktail reception with the cast. "Backstage & Beyond" ticket packages also are available, which include the opportunity to see the dress rehearsal, exclusive backstage access, a meet-and-greet with some of the stars of Broadway Backwards, premium seats for the show and more.

More special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. Performers are subject to change.

Broadway Backwards Creator Robert Bartley will direct the show. He will be joined by Mary-Mitchell Campbell as music supervisor and Laura Bergquist as music director. Choreography will be by Bartley, Adam Roberts and Chaz Wolcott.

Last year's empowering performance raised a record $522,870. The cast featured many of the brightest talents on Broadway and beyond, including Cynthia Erivo, Josh Groban, Andrew Rannells and more, backed by an onstage orchestra.

What began as a small, grassroots concert performed at The Center in 2006 quickly grew into a highly anticipated event presented in Broadway's best theatres. In its 12 editions,Broadway Backwards has raised more than $3.4 million for Broadway Cares and The Center.

Broadway Backwards is generously sponsored by Celebrity Cruises, Facebook, The New York Times and United Airlines.

About Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources, and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $300 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the major supporter of the social service programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative and the Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts. Broadway Cares also awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states.

For more information, please visit Broadway Cares online at broadwaycares.org, at facebook.com/BCEFA, at instagram.com/BCEFA, at twitter.com/BCEFA and at youtube.com/BCEFA.

About The Center

Established in 1983, New York City's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center empowers people to lead healthy, successful lives. The Center celebrates diversity and advocates for justice and opportunity. Each year, The Center welcomes more than 300,000 visits to our building in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan from people who engage in our life-changing and life-saving activities. To learn more about The Center's work, please visit gaycenter.org.